Oh yeah, this blog is also about wine

2011 Harvest!? Get back to me in December. Oh, alright, I guess I can share a little.  It's been a cold, wet year and we are behind even last year (which was the coldest year on record), but we still have two months of possible growing conditions. So, hopefully like last year, a nice long warm Fall will help ripen the fruit and we will see the same great flavor complexities of 2010 with lower alcohol levels (I was just barrel sampling some 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, WOW!!!). Now some more important information.

Labor Day weekend is fast approaching, and I know many of you are going camping.  Most of you probably were not great boy scouts, and even if you were, that time is fading in the rear-view mirror.  You remember to pack all of the essentials, wine, wine glasses and maybe some food or a tent.  But you forgot the wine opener! Now, you are in the middle of no-where, with your sister and her family and the outlook of nothing but Kool-Aid and hotdogs to tide you over until your return to being a desk jockey on Tuesday. Have no fear, I'm here to help.  You see that tree over there? No, not the one little Billy is peeing behind, the other one.  That my friend is your salvation.  Watch the video, understand and send a thank-you on your coffee break Tuesday.

Twilight Golf

Hobbies can get expensive! Even the simple hobby of running can start to add up if you get good shoes, register for races, register for races out of town and then register for marathon races out of town.  One must learn to allocate what few scarce resources we have, both time and money, to the best maximization of our heart's pursuit. 

This summer, I picked up the game of golf. From my first round (which was a tournament), I knew it was going to be trouble based on on much enjoyment I had.  Another hobby, another thing fighting for my little  bit of resources. Lucky for me (and even for you if you are interested in learning the game) there are a lot of people who either give up on the game or are addicted to upgrading their equipment every time something new comes out.  Daily, Craigslist is full of used clubs for sale in the sporting section, most of which, are priced and in good enough condition to give anyone a taste of the game.  Additionally, we are blessed to live in Spokane, where there are a lot of great golf courses with reasonable green fees.

For time and money allocation, I rarely play 18, and when I do, I look for discounted days and coupons.  The key to playing golf, and saving your time and wallet is 9 holes, in the afternoon, with a fast playing friend.  Use cheap old balls, if you have any friends who play, they will have boxes of balls they will give you, so when you miss hit, you will not spend 5 minutes looking. Take a drop and move on. By using this strategy, one can get in a quick 9 in under two hours, after work and still be home for dinner by 8.  And now the greatest money tip I've learned...TWILIGHT GOLF!

As the season grows shorter, many courses offer twilight rates!  This is your chance to hit the links at rates around $10 for 9 (or I've seen $14 for 18).  This is a great time to get out and practice your game without breaking the bank.

It's almost time to can! (Oh yeah, I signed up for another marathon)

After much thought and inner soul searching, a realization occurred that I need a goal.  My original plan of signing up for a marathon, completing that race, and then living blissfully ever after in great running shape did not fully work.  After the race, I kind of botched the staying in marathon shape.  My attempts to get resume running...did not go so well.  HEY! It's hard to get going in the morning when one is confronted by a big batch of homemade blueberry pancakes, dripping in maple syrup with a big side of bacon while the Jersey Shore airs on MTV for the 2,398th time. Running shoes or Snooki? I know, unfair question when the mind is in a food coma of maple and bacon goodness.  Happy trees by Bob Ross could keep me planted for hours on the couch in that condition.  I need a goal.  So this weekend, I went searching for another race.  On March 4th, 2012, I will be running in the Napa Valley Marathon. Side note, I wonder if there are any wineries down in that area that I could stop at, therefore righting off the whole trip as a business expense?  If that is not a valid deduction and you work for the IRS, that past sentence was not written by me.

In other news, my tomato plants are coming along and I got a ton of jalapenos ripening up.

Life without focus

My knee feels great. My cardio...not doing so well.  Last Saturday I was able to run 8+ miles (The Spokane Dirty Dash, plus running 2 miles from where I parked to only get to the start line 10 minutes late), but was dying the last 1/2 mile.  Why? I got do not have a serious running goal on my calendar.  I am the type of person that wishes they could just go out and run for running, a free runner. But I'm not at that point. I need a big goal looming over my head, if not, life will distract me. So this weekend, I am sitting down and finding my next big race to register to run.  I'm looking marathon and one that is about 6 to 8 months away.

Great Video, Great Song, GREAT EVENT

I am all signed up with an 11:00 am start time. I hope all of you will join in the fun August 20 in Spokane!

If interested, register here

Transforming the Chaotic Wine Theory

When this blog was first started, its purpose was to motivate me as I trained for my first marathon.  I am proud to write, that I have successfully completed that first marathon.  During the six months of training, I learned a lot about myself and developed a lot of good habits. I really enjoy the running and active lifestyle.  Moving forward, I am going to start to use this blog to not only chronicle my training for my next marathon, but for all aspects of a healthy life, life in the vineyard as a winemaker, and general wine knowledge. I hope you enjoy the new direction.

First Marathon!

Sorry for the slow post, but what a week I had.  On June 23rd, I went golfing for the very first time.  My team finished 4th, little did I know, but for my first adventure on the links, I played one of the toughest courses in the state! After the tournament, I headed off to Seattle for my very first marathon.  One has got to love a weekend of firsts.

Saturday morning, I got out of bed, did not really sleep, was way to excited/nervous to run.  I was one of the first to the starting line at 4:30 am.  I think this ended up being a really good thing, because it allowed me to find a nice place to stretch out, eat some breakfast, use the bathroom without a long line, and enjoy people watching.  At the start, I found my corral and waited to begin my 26.2 mile journey.

The first 12 miles of the race went almost perfect! I held back, walked through every water station to prevent going out to fast and was hitting my goal pace of around 10:20 per mile.  I have found in training, that just above a 10 minute pace, I can easily talk and maintain that pace for mile after mile without feeling tired or strained at the end.  I figured, keep that pace up and I will definitely have something left in the tank for the last 6.2 miles.  My only mistake in the first part of the race...I was so worried about hydration, I drank two cups of water through every aid station.  During the marathon, it was overcast and 60 degrees.  My body did not need all that water, especially at the start.  By mile 7, I had to hit the outhouse.  With it being so early in the race, it took over 4 minutes waiting in line! But after some relief, I was back cruising.

When I got to the floating bridge, just past mile 9, I started to pass people.  Getting concerned, I checked my pacing watch and found I was holding steady.  My strategy of not getting to excited was paying off.  Coming off the floating bridge, around mile 12, things went wrong! My right side IT band flared up around my knee.  By mile 13, I could not run.  The strange thing about my IT band flare up is that I could not run a single step to save my life.  Every step jogging or running felt like a hot iron being poked into my knee, but as soon as I stopped and started walking, the pain would disappear.

At this point in the race, the half marathon and full marathon had rejoined, separated by a concrete barrier.  As we neared the location where the two races would split again, I noticed people jumping from the full side over to the half side.  The temptation was there! Should I jump over and complete a 15 mile day or go for it and hope my knee held up.  Now, when I write that I could walk, I mean, I could WALK without pain.  Butt wiggling, arms pumping, power walking.  So, why not go for it and power walk the rest of this bad boy!

So I went for it and did it! I completed the marathon in just over 5 hours, 20 minutes.  What a tale of two halves! I finished the first twelve in just over 2 hours, and then power walked the back half (averaging a 14 minute per mile walking pace) in around three hours and twenty minutes.  The only down side to the race?  Do you know how boring in can be to walk 14 miles!? Especially when your cardio system feels like it is in first gear and begging to put the peddle to the metal and kick it into a higher gear.  Right now I am looking for my next full marathon to run.  I feel like I left a lot of time on the table.  My wife and I have started saving with eyes on the 2012 Disney World Marathon, we'll make that call in September.  I cannot wait for my next race. And my next round of golf!

In many ways, I find that by breaking down in my first race and yet still finishing has made me even more of a marathon fanatic.  I know that no matter what happens, when I line up to run, I can finish 26.2 miles.  Now I want to know what happens when I run a good race.